News

Lion Kings

The Lions tour of Australia had been eventful and promising. But it had lacked
a definitive performance by the tourists, and everybody decked out in Aussie
gold in Sydney’s Olympic stadium was as confident as the bookmakers of a
home victory.

But last night the city was painted red with up to 20,000 revellers, along
with visitors and expats, celebrating a Lions series victory and a record
thrashing of Australia.

They won 41-16, and the points machine that is Leigh Halfpenny, the full-back,
was in overdrive. He scored 21 points, a record for a Lion in a Test — and
his 49 points in the series is another record. He was also named Man of the
Series.

Warren Gatland, the Lions coach, confessed to mixed emotions — caused by the
hysterical reaction to his decision to drop Brian O’Driscoll from his match
squad. It was a decision that was vindicated by the